FM.D.45 BUILDS A TOWER OF 2 CUBES
Here is another new kind of putting – and one which is basic to preschool play. Putting one block on top of another requires fine control of hand and eye. The child must aim correctly, balance the block and release it without toppling the tower.
How to Assess
Materials:4 small cubes – about 3 cm. Avoid plastic as it can be slippery.
Method: Demonstrate with 2 of the cubes. Put the third cube on the table, and give your child the fourth, directing him to ‘put’, imitating your tower. Do not hold the bottom cube.
Score plus if your child puts the block on. He should do this in at least 2 out of 3 tries.
How to Teach
You will need 3 cm cubes and a range of larger blocks.
Find the smallest block onto which your child can now put the 3 cm cube, and begin working with one that’s just a little smaller. Keep reducing the size of the base block until he is putting the cube onto one the same size.
By decreasing the size of your base block in this way, you will help your child to aim correctly. This skill also depends on a correct release, and there are 2 quite different problems which can occur here.
- Releasing the cube too soon. Dropping the block on will not work with cubes the same size. If your child does this while you are working with the large base blocks, go straight to the same-size cube, so that he can see for himself that the technique will not work. You may need to physically prompt him to hold on until the blocks touch, but do not encourage him to slam the cube down, or you will end up with the opposite problem!
- Forcing the cube down. This may not cause a topple with a 2-block tower, but it certainly will when he builds his towers higher. The touch of your finger under his wrist as he brings his hand down, combined with the word ‘gently’ will discourage him from being too vigorous. Omit the physical prompt as he gets the idea.
Playtime and Round-the-house Activities
The more practice the better with this skill! All kinds of things can be stacked – it doesn’t matter at all if they are larger than the materials you are using in teaching sessions. You can use foam packing pieces, inverted nesting cups, play blocks of all kinds (including cloth ones), carpentry offcuts, all sorts of food containers and so on.
Remembering and Extending
This skill is extended in FM.D.62.